Ground compacting apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for compacting and forming depressions along a tract of ground being worked generally consisting of a support means; a drum mounted on the support means for rotation movement about an axis thereof; and a liner formed of a material having earth adherent retarding properties mounted on a cylindrical surface of the drum, having a bay section disposed on the cylindrical surface and a plurality of outwardly projecting sections.

This invention relates to an apparatus for compacting recently disturbedground on slopes and more particularly to such an apparatus that notonly compacts the ground but forms impressions in the compacted groundin which seeds of various sowed ground covers may be trapped, thusfacilitating germination while minimizing erosion. This inventionfurther contemplates such an apparatus which is effective in neitherremoving nor otherwise disturbing the ground being compacted andconditioned for seeding, and preventing erosion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the construction of roads, the general procedure is to grade theroadway, lay down a subgrade such as an aggregate, pave the subgrade andthen finish grade, compact and seed the shoulders of the road. Often,the shoulders of the road will be at the same elevation as the road buton many occasions, the shoulder will be sloped from the road. Incompacting such shoulders and conditioning them for seeding, varioustypes of compacting machines have been used. Such machines typicallyhave consisted of crawler tractors that were run up and down such slopesso as to provide both compaction and consistent surface roughening forpreventing erosion and facilitating seed germination.

In the prior art, there has been developed a wide variety of devices forcompacting and otherwise conditioning various tracks of ground includingthe shoulders of roads. Examples of such compactors are illustrated anddescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 953,546 disclosing a compactor incorporatedas a wheel unit of a vehicle, U.S. Pat. Nos. 827,329; 895,230; 4,237,984and 4,339,908 disclosing towed typed compactors and U.S. Pat. No.4,278,368 disclosing a compactor attached to the dipper stick of aexcavating machine.

Although such prior art devices would appear to adequately compact andform depressions in the ground for seeding purposes, it has been foundthat such devices are deficient in operation in that the configurationsand compositions of the means provided for forming the depressions tendto cause portions of earth being compacted and impressed to adhere to orlodge in the impression forming components of such devices. Some of theprior art devices have addressed such occurrence but further have beenfound not to be sufficiently adequate in performance. Accordingly, it isthe principal object of the present invention to provide an apparatusfor compacting and forming depressions in a tract of ground such as theshoulder of a roadway, preparatory to sowing ground cover seeds, whichis highly effective in compacting and forming depressions in the groundwithout removing or otherwise disturbing the ground being worked.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The principal object of the present invention is achieved by providing aground compactor generally consisting of a support means, a drum mountedon the support means for rotational movement about an axis thereof and aliner comprising a non-earth adhering material such as a non-adheringpolymer, mounted on a cylindrical surface of the drum, having a baseportion disposed on the cylinder surface on the drum and a plurality ofoutwardly projecting portions. Preferably, the liner is formed of amaterial consisting of a crosslinked high density polyethylene materialor a polytetrafluoroethylene material. The liner may consist of a singlepiece of material which may be fitted and secured onto the cylindricalsurface of the drum or may consist of a plurality of segments disposedabout the periphery of cylindrical surface, each individually secured tothe drum or a material sprayed on the drum. In effect, the nature of thematerial from which the liner is formed is such that it functions topreclude the adherence of loose earth to either cling to components ofthe liner or lodge between successive projecting portions of the liner.The apparatus may be formed as a unit to be towed by a tractor, comprisea wheel unit of a land vehicle or be attached to the dipper stick of anexcavating machine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 of the drawings is perspective view of an apparatus embodying thepresent invention, in a form permitting it to be attached to the dipperstick of a excavating machine;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1attached to the dipper stick of an excavating machine, having a portionthereof broken away, illustrating the apparatus in a first position of asequence of positions in which the ground on a sloped surface is beingcompacted and formed with depressions for a subsequent seedingoperation;

FIG. 2A is a view similar to the view shown in FIG. 2, illustrating themachine and apparatus in a subsequent position, advancing the apparatusfurther up the slope being worked;

FIG. 2B is a view similar to the view shown in FIGS. 2 and 2A, furtherillustrating the machine and apparatus in a still further position alongthe slope being worked;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the inventionin the form of a unit towed by a tractor;

FIG. 4 is a still further embodiment of the invention in the form of awheel unit of a land vehicle;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, side elevational view of the apparatusillustrated in any of the previous views, illustrating the manner inwhich a liner of the apparatus is fitted onto a drum thereof;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to the view shown in FIG. 5, illustrating adifferent form of liner fitted onto the drum thereof;

FIG. 6A is an enlarged, perspective view of a segment of the liner shownin FIG. 6, having a portion thereof broken away;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to the view shown in FIG. 5, illustrating astill different form of liner fitted onto the drum thereof; and

FIG. 7A is an enlarged, perspective view of a segment of the liner shownin FIG. 7, having a portion thereof broken away.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 2A of the drawings, there is illustrated anexcavating machine 10 having attached thereto an apparatus 11 which maybe manipulated to a compact and form depressions along a tract ofslopped ground 12. The excavating machine is of a conventionalconstruction including a lower, mobile frame assembly, an upper frameassembly 14, mounted on the lower frame assembly for rotational movementabout a vertical axes, a boom 15 pivotally connected at a lower endthereof to upper frame assembly 14 for pivotal movement in a verticalplane and a dipper stick 16 pivotally connected to the free end of theboom for pivotal movement for the same plane as the boom. A pair ofhydraulic cylinder assemblies 17 operatively interconnect the upperframe assembly and boom 15 for pivoting the boom relative to the upperframe assembly, a hydraulic cylinder assembly 18 operativelyinterconnects intermediate portions of boom 15 and an end of dipperstick 16 and a hydraulic cylinder assembly 19 operatively interconnectsa set of brackets at a rear end of the dipper stick and a connecting pin20 which connects a pair of support links 21 and a pair of actuatinglinks 22.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, compactor apparatus 11 basicallyconsists of a support yoke 30 and a roller 31. Support yoke 30 includesa transversely disposed beam portion 32 and a pair of depending legportions 33 and 34. Mounted between the ends of the transverselydisposed beam portion 32 is a set of attachment brackets 35 and 36provided with a pair of aligned openings for receiving a pair ofconnecting pins 37 and 38 for detachably connecting the compactorapparatus to dipper stick 16 and actuating links 22 of the excavatingmachine as shown in FIG. 2. Roller 31 consists of a drum 39 and a liner40 fitted onto the drum. Drum 39 is provided with a cylindrical surface41 and a pair of end walls 42, 42 provided with an axially disposedshaft 43 journaled at the ends thereof in a set of bearings 44 mountedon the lower ends of leg portions 33 and 34 of the support yoke. Thedrum may be formed of any sturdy metal, preferably steel. Liner 40consists of a cylindrical portion 45 and a set of transversely disposedcircumferentially spaced cleat portions 46. The liner is formed of amaterial having a composition which retards adherence of soil intendedto be compacted on the ground being worked by the apparatus. Examples ofsuch a material are a rotational molding crosslinkable, high densitypolyethylene manufactured by the Chevron Phillips Chemical Company ofThe Woodlands, Tex., sold under the trademark MARLAX and identified byProduct No. CL-200YB, having a high impact strength, providing long termoutdoor weathering and containing an internal mold release, acrosslinkable, high density polyethylene manufactured by the Exxon MobilChemical Company of Houston, Tex., sold under the trademark PAXTON and acrosslinkable, high density polyethylene manufactured by A. Schulman,Inc. Of Akron Ohio, sold under the trademark SCHULNICK and identified byProduct No. XL350. The liner is fitted over the cylindrical surface ofthe drum and secured thereto by an adhesive or by threaded fasteners.Other non-adherent polymers including polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE),manufactured and sold by the DuPont Company under the trademark TEFLONmay be used as a liner material.

In lieu of an integral liner as shown in FIG. 5, such liner may beformed of a plurality of segments 50 as shown in FIG. 6 and 6A orsegments 60 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 7A. Each of segments 50 consists ofan elongated substantially rectangular section 51 provided with anintegrally molded cleat portion 52 formed along an elongated side of thesegment. Such segments are mounted about the circumference of thecylindrical surface of the drum and are individually secured to the drumwith an adhesive or threaded fasteners. To facilitate the mounting ofsuch segments on the surface of the drum, one elongated edge portion ofthe base section 51 of each segment is provided with a protruding lipportion 53 and the opposite, elongated edge portion of base section 51is provided with a recess 54 adapted to receive a lip portion 53 of anadjacent, successive segment to provide a liner comparable to integrallyform liner 40, as shown in FIG. 6. Each of the segments 50 is formed ofa material similar to the material of which liner 40 is formed. Tofurther accommodate the mounting of segments 50 on the cylindricalsurface on the drum, the base section 51 of each segment 50 is formedwith a radius of curvature similar or substantially similar to theradius of the cylindrical surface of the drum or perhaps simply thelower surface 55 of the segment may be so formed.

Each of segments 60 is similar in construction and function to segment50. Each of such segments includes any elongated, rectangularlyconfigured based section 61 and a cleat section 62 formed integrallywith base section 61 along an elongated edge thereof. Each of segments60 also is formed of a material having a composition similar to thecomposition of liner 40. As shown in FIG. 7 a plurality of segments 60are mounted on the cylindrical surface of the drum extendingtransversely and disposed about the circumference of such surface toprovide a liner configuration similar to the configuration of liner 40.Such segments also are secured to the drum by means of an adhesive orthreaded fasteners.

The spacing of cleat portions 46 of liner 40 and the widths of segments50 and 60 may be of any desired dimension, depending on the spacing ofthe depressions to be made in the tract of ground being compacted.Preferably, such spacing and widths would be sufficient to complimentthe effect of the nature of the material of liner 40 and segments 50 and60 in retarding adherence of soil being worked by the apparatus and thepossible lodging of material between successive cleat portions of suchlinings.

The embodiments of the invention may be constructed by first forming thedrum, applying the liner to the cylindrical surface of the drum, formingthe support yoke with the mounting brackets and then connecting the drumwith the applied liner on the support frame so that the drum issupported by the support yoke and free to rotate about the axis thereof.As previously indicated, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the liner isfirst formed by rotational molding, fitted onto the cylindrical surfaceof the drum and secured thereto by an adhesive or threaded fasteners. Inthe embodiments shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the segments initially aremolded and then positioned on the cylindrical surface of the drum aboutthe circumference thereof and secured thereto by an adhesive or threadedfasteners.

In the use of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus is merelyattached to the end of the dipper stick of the excavating machine with aset of connecting pins 37 and 38, and the machine is operated in theconventional manner to roll the roller drum along a tract of ground suchas slope 12 to compact the soil and form a series of spaced depressionsin the ground which subsequently serve to capture and trap seeds of aground cover being a sown for the purpose of enhancing the germinationof such seeds.

In addition to the apparatus being used as an attachment for the dipperstick of an excavating machine as shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus may betowed from a tractor as shown in FIG. 3 or formed as a wheel unit asshown in FIG. 4. The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 includes an apparatus 70comparable to apparatus 11 shown in FIG. 1, provided with a support yoke71 adapted to be connected to a hitch 72 of a tractor 73, a drum 74rotatably connected to leg portions of support yoke 71 and a liner 75fitted onto and secured to the cylindrical surface of the drum. Theembodiment shown in FIG. 4 includes an apparatus 80 comparable toapparatus 11 shown in FIG. 1 which includes a support yoke 81 secured tothe chassis of a land vehicle 82, a drum 83 rotatably mounted on thesupport yoke and a liner 84 fitted and rigidly secured to thecylindrical surface of the drum. Preferably, vehicle 82 would be of afront wheel drive and apparatus 80 would function as a wheel unitcompacting and indenting the ground surface as the vehicle is advanced.

In each of the embodiments described, the apparatus is functional incompacting and forming depressions in the ground being worked, withoutany of the soil traversed being caused to cling to the liner of theapparatus. The result of the ground being so worked would be a compactedsurface provided with spaced depressions which would accommodate theseeding of the tract having thus been prepared. Depending on theequipment used with the apparatus, it may be utilized to compact andform depressions on sloped terrain. The worked surface would be neatlycompacted with spaced depressions for capturing seeds and preventingerosion, and the ground will not otherwise be disturbed and no materialwill be removed by the apparatus.

From the foregoing detailed description, it will be evident that thereare a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the presentinvention, which come within the province of those persons havingordinary skill in the art to which the aforementioned inventionpertains. However, it is intended that all such variations not departingfrom the spirit of the invention be considered as within the scopethereof as limited solely by the appended claims.

1. An apparatus for compacting and forming depressions along a tract ofground being worked, comprising: a support means; a drum mounted on saidsupport means for rotational movement about an axis thereof; and a linerformed of a material having earth adherent retarding propertiescontaining an internal mold release mounted on a cylindrical surface ofsaid drum, having a base section disposed on said cylindrical surfaceand a plurality of outwardly projecting sections.
 2. An apparatusaccording to claim 1 wherein said liner material comprises a non-earthadhering polymer.
 3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein saidliner material comprises a cross linkable, high density polyethylene. 4.An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said liner is formed of arotationally molded, crosslinked high density polyethylene.
 5. Anapparatus according to claim 1 wherein said outwardly projectingsections of said liner comprise a plurality of circumferentially spacedcleat sections.
 6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein saidsupport means is mountable on the dipper stick of an excavator machine.7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said support means ismountable on a land vehicle as a wheel unit.
 8. An apparatus accordingto claim 1 wherein said support means is attachable to a land vehiclefor being towed thereby.
 9. An apparatus accordingly to claim 1 whereinsaid liner comprises a plurality of segments disposed about thecircumference of said cylindrical surface of said drum, each of saidsegments including a base section attached to said cylindrical surfaceof said drum and a projecting portion relative to said base section. 10.An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein each of said segments isformed of a non-earth adhering polymer.
 11. An apparatus according toclaim 9 wherein each of said segments is formed of a crosslinked, highdensity polyethylene.
 12. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein eachof said segments is adhesively attached to said cylindrical surface ofsaid drum.
 13. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein each of saidsegments is secured to said cylindrical surface of said drum by means ofthreaded fasteners.
 14. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein eachof said segments has a substantially L- shaped cross sectionalconfiguration.
 15. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein saidprojecting section of each of said segments is disposed between ends ofsaid base section thereof.
 16. An apparatus according to claim 9 whereinthe base section of each of said segments includes a first mating edgehaving a recessed portion and a second mating edge having a lip portion,and wherein the lip portion of the base section of each of said sectionsis received within the recessed portion of the base section of asuccessive section when said segments are mounted on said cylindricalsurface of said drum.
 17. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein thedrum engaging surface of the base section of each of said segments isprovided with the radius of curvature substantially the same as theradius of said cylindrical surface of said drum.
 18. An apparatusaccording to claim 9 wherein the drum engaging surface of the basesection of each of said segments is provided with a radius of curvaturesubstantially the same as a radius of said cylindrical surface of saiddrum.
 19. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said support meansis mountable on the dipper stick of an excavating machine.
 20. Anapparatus according to claim 9 wherein said support means is mountableon a land vehicle as a wheel unit.
 21. An apparatus according to claim 9wherein said support means is attachable to a land vehicle for beingtowed thereby.
 22. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said lineris formed of a material selected from a group consisting of polyethyleneand polytetrafluoroethylene.
 23. (canceled)